


i'll check in tomorrow (if i don't wake up dead)

by graceless_wolf



Series: 30 Day AU Challenge: Jehan/Bahorel [2]
Category: Les Misérables (2012)
Genre: 30 Day AU Challenge, Alternate Universe - Zombies, Other, also trans cosette but that's in the background ouo, nonbinary!Jehan, nonbinary!combeferre, this ones a little shorter guys gomen ;;u;;
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-12
Updated: 2014-06-12
Packaged: 2018-02-04 10:19:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1775563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graceless_wolf/pseuds/graceless_wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The end of the world happened quietly. Not like it was trying to sneak up on them, but like it knew that it had all of the time it wanted to slowly roll in and take out anyone and everyone that it wanted. </p><p>Jehan packed their bags and was ready by the time Grantaire showed up at the door with an RV and a group of their friends. For a while, it was okay, they found a spot near the city, where the evacuation was happening, and just sat. Jehan, Grantaire, Cosette, Joly, Bossuet, and Musichetta; it was almost like a vacation from their regular lives. None of them actually witnessed what was happening, only heard the horror stories on their little TV. Eponine and Gavroche joined them on the way out of the city, after the Walkers took that over, too. They found both of them hiding on a fire escape. </p><p>It was two weeks after that when Jehan hears Bahorel's voice over the handheld radio.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'll check in tomorrow (if i don't wake up dead)

“We’ve been bored here, Jehan, _bored._ Can you believe it? It’s a fucking godsend is what it is. The Walkers have been so fucking quiet and haven’t come near us. Enjolras says to stay vigil, and we are for the most part, but I can’t tell you how good it is to relax, _Christ_.” Bahorel’s voice is cracked and broken through the speaker of the little radio, but Jehan’s practiced enough with it to understand him as clear as day.

 

They duck through the opening of the tent, wordlessly shooing out a curious looking Bossuet. “That sounds amazing,” they mutter. “God, I can’t even imagine it.”

 

“Yeah,” Bahorel says, concerned, “You guys are still close to the city.”

 

Jehan murmurs his agreement and they’re both quiet for a moment as they collapse on the closest sleeping bag; the only sound over the radio of Bahorel’s soft breathing.

 

“When are you getting out of there, Jehan?” he whispers.

 

Jehan shifts, turning to lay on their side. “I don’t know, ‘Rel. I really don’t. Grantaire keeps saying a few more days every other day, and Joly still isn’t well enough to travel long distances yet.”

 

“I know,” Bahorel sighs, “I know. I’m sorry, I just—we just worry. All of us. We worry about you guys.”

 

“Really?” Jehan says, amused, “because the last time Enj and Grantaire got on a call together they spent the whole time arguing over—”

 

“—food rations,” Bahorel finishes, “I know, trust me, but Enjolras cares. He just doesn’t like to admit it.”

 

Jehan laughs, soft and quiet, “We’re in such a mess, huh?”

 

“Haven’t you heard, Prouvaire? The fucking world is ending.”

 

“Oh, come now, ‘Rel,” Jehan teases back, “Don’t be so overdramatic – it’s _only_ the zombie apocalypse.”

 

“We should have listened to the movies,” Bahorel agrees sagely.

 

_“Jehan!”_

 

“Gotta go,” they mutter, rolling to their feet.

 

“Right,” Bahorel says, “Check in tomorrow?”

 

“I’ll check in tomorrow.”

 

The radio goes quiet.

 

When Jehan exits the tent, the blinding sunlight almost blocks out what’s happening in front of them.

 

\--

 

The end of the world happened quietly. Not like it was trying to sneak up on them, but like it knew that it had all of the time it wanted to slowly roll in and take out anyone and everyone that it wanted. Jehan almost missed the days that they spent arguing with assholes about social justice. Almost. Now, it wasn’t that it didn’t matter, just that anyone ignorant enough to argue with him about it was ignorant enough to believe the politicians on TV, smoothing over the end of the fucking world with promises of hope and a cure.

 

Jehan packed their bags and was ready by the time Grantaire showed up at the door with an RV and a group of their friends. For a while, it was okay, they found a spot near the city, where the evacuation was happening, and just sat. Jehan, Grantaire, Cosette, Joly, Bossuet, and Musichetta; it was almost like a vacation from their regular lives. None of them actually witnessed what was happening, only heard the horror stories on their little TV. Eponine and Gavroche joined them on the way out of the city, after the Walkers took that over, too. They found both of them hiding on a fire escape.

 

Within five minutes, Bossuet was showing Gavroche all his scars (“This one I got when I accidentally set the fish tank on fire.”

 

“… _How?”_

“Long story, but the fish was fine!” _)_ and Eponine and Grantaire were fast friends. Eponine basically collapsed at ‘Chetta’s feet in worship when she learned that she had a supply of tampons.

 

“You’re lucky only the two of you need them,” Cosette had said with a soft smile, “Rations go quickly around here.”

 

Now, they’re about an hour outside the city, in the middle of a sparse woods. They’d go farther away, but Joly is sick, really sick, and no one wants to risk it (and it’s not like Bossuet would let them).

 

They first heard from Bahorel two weeks after that.

 

\--

 

“Was that the last one?” Eponine shouts as she jumps into the RV and they go hurtling down the road.

 

“Yeah,” R says from the driver’s seat, “It was. _Fuck,_ I can’t believe that.”

 

They had fought off a group of Walkers, just managing to get away with most of their supplies and all of their people. Joly is tucked into the bed in the back and Bossuet and ‘Chetta haven’t left his side, leaning heavily against each other.

 

“We’re fine,” Cosette says, always the soothing voice of reason, “We’re all fine. How much gas does the van have, ‘Taire?”

 

“Enough to keep us going for about two days, if we’re lucky.”

 

Jehan has been silent, pondering the situation, but they perk up at that. “Wait,” they say, running over to their bag.

 

They pull out the radio and press a grateful kiss to it. Gavroche grins wildly, and Jehan nods, “We can get there. If we can do anything right now, it’s get there.”

 

“Speaking of _getting there_ ,” Musichetta asks, with a pointed look at Jehan. They blush, eyes focused on the radio. “How’s Bahorel?”

 

“He’s good,” Jehan answers, “Really good, actually. It’s been quiet over there.”

 

“You should call him,” Grantaire says, “and make sure it’s okay for us to crash their little party.”

 

\--

 

“Hello? Is anyone there? Fuck, Courfeyrac, I told you this thing wouldn’t work!”

 

_“It has to work! ‘Ferre fixed it xemself!”_

 

“Just because your partner says xe fixed it, does not actually mean it’s fixed, Courf.”

 

_“Hey!”_

 

“Fucking…anyways, hello? Come in, strangers-of-the-radio, come in. I don’t know if you can hear me, but this is Bahorel. Uh, this is another survivor. There’s a group of us, actually, but this is Bahorel speaking as of right now. We could use some help over here, actually, is anyone there? Hello--”

 

“Hello,” Jehan said, almost yelling into the tiny speaker, “Holy shit, hi. Hi. It’s me, I’m here.”

 

“Hi, ‘me, I’m here,’” said the voice, but it sounds amused, “I’m Bahorel, who are you?”

 

“My name is Jean Prouvaire. How many of you are there?”

 

“Wow, not even a ‘ _how are you, Bahorel? How’s your day been?_ ’ I get no appreciation around here.”

 

Jehan actually laughed, a startled, breathless noise. “Hello, Bahorel, how are you? How’s your day been?”

 

_“Holy shit, ‘Rel, are you talking to someone? Like, a real, live person?”_

 

“Oh my god, Courf, go away, Jean and I are having a lovely conversation. Didn’t anyone teach you not to interrupt!”

_“Holy shit, Jean? Jean who? Give me that!”_

 

There’s the sound of a scuffle on the other side of the radio, and Jehan is glad they’re the only one in the tent.

 

“Hi, Jean! I’m Courfeyrac. Bahorel is currently indisposed.” The voice sounds bright and happy and full of life, and Jehan is suddenly struck with the feeling of hope. Survivors, god, _actual_ survivors.

 

“Oh, I hope you didn’t knock them out.”

 

“Nope, he was suddenly faced with a terrifying blond demanding that he go get Feuilly out of bed – because Feuilly doesn’t listen to anyone else, really – and decided that living was something he’d rather continue doing.”

 

Jehan laughs again. “Well, then, good. Hi, Courfeyrac. Call me Jehan.”

 

Courfeyrac laughs, too, and then says, “Ferre! Combeferre! Come and see, we got someone on the radio.” Then they say to Jehan, “This is my partner, Combeferre. Xe’s a doctor – or, _was_ a doctor. It’s still a useful skill to have these days. Hey, is there anyone else with you? Like, are you alone? We’ve got a small-ish group over here, but Marius was on his own before he showed up, so if you are, you could always join us! Oh shit, I totally forgot, I use he/him pronouns. So do Bahorel, Enjolras, Marius, and Feuilly. Combeferre uses xe/xem/xer. What about you? How are your rations? Do you--”

 

 _“Give me the radio, Courf—,”_ says another voice, and Jehan is smiling so much it hurts. “Hi, I’m Combeferre. Please ignore my boyfriend.”

 

“God,” Jehan says, “No, I could never. It’s so good to hear from other people.”

 

“So you are alone?” Combeferre asks.

 

“No, I’m not, but it’s still good to know that there are others out there. I’m Jehan; they/them pronouns. Our group is smaller than yours, I think, not large. There’s Grantaire and Cosette. And Joly, Bossuet, and Musichetta. Then, Eponine and Gavroche.”

 

“Alright,” Combeferre says, and xer voice is soothing. Jehan can see how xe and Courf work well together. “Do you know your location?”

 

“About a mile outside of the city,” Jehan says, “and you?”

 

“Roughly two days to the west of you.”

 

_“Aw, guys! You stole my person!”_

 

“You snooze, you lose, Bahorel.” Courf laughs.

 

“Technically,” says Combeferre, “Feuilly was snoozing.”

 

\--

 

The first time Bahorel sees them, Jehan still has a little blood on their face.

 

The RV makes it to the camp with a little under half an hour to spare. They all pour out of the RV, dirty and tired and starving, and come face to face with the other group. It’s quiet for a moment, and Jehan worries about how fucking awkward this might be, but then someone comes crashing between two people and smiles ridiculously wide.

 

“Jehan!” they say, and holy shit they know that voice.

 

“Bahorel,” they say, clasping a hand over their mouth. “Holy _fuck_.”

 

“Jehan,” Bahorel repeats, looking at them like they’re carrying a fucking endless supply of rations, instead of a RV that’s close to death and a straggly looking group of survivors. But then Bahorel hugs them, and Jehan lets out a choked noise, tightening a grip around Bahorel’s neck.

 

“You have red hair,” Bahorel whispers, and then smiles, “I knew it.”

 

“How on Earth would you _know_ that?” Jehan laughs.

 

“I could tell, obviously.”

 

“Alright, love birds,” Musichetta says, and Bahorel turns bright red, “Make with the official introductions.”

 

“Right,” Jehan says, hesitantly breaking the hug, “Alright.” But as soon as they break the hug with Bahorel, they’re tackled to the ground by a tiny man with crazy corkscrew curls.

 

“Hi,” the person says, “I’m Courf.”

 

“I can tell,” Jehan says, amused.

 

“And I’m Combeferre,” says a tall person with crooked glasses, offering a hand to them both.

 

“It’s lovely to meet you in person,” Jehan says, and Combeferre nods.

 

Meanwhile, both of the groups have started to interact. Jehan takes in the scene, lips curved into a smile that won’t fade.

 

Grantaire and the person they assume to be Enjolras (tall, blond, currently calling Grantaire an “unfairly cynical asshole pretty boy.” “Did you just call me a pretty boy?” “That’s what you’re focusing on.”) are already arguing about something or another. Courfeyrac is sitting with Gavroche, laughing loudly. Combeferre is in the middle of a conversation of with Bossuet and ‘Chetta, and Jehan can only assume they’re discussing Joly. Cosette is frozen, blushing hard, and staring at—

 

“That’s Marius,” Bahorel says, following Jehan’s stare. “Who’s that?”

 

“That’s Cosette.”

 

“Are all of our friend’s going to start sleeping together?”

 

Jehan laughs, bright and clear, and leans back against Bahorel’s chest.

 

“Because I’ll have you know,” Bahorel mutters, “I prefer redheads.”

 

Jehan coughs, but rolls their eyes. “Really? That’s what you’re going with? I expect more from you, Bahorel.”

 

“My sincerest apologies,” Bahorel grins, stepping back in order to bow, “Please pardon me, and allow me to make another attempt at courtship, Your Most Compassionate Grace.”

 

Jehan crosses their arms and sniffs, “Fine then, good Sir, show me your best.”

 

Bahorel straightens up then, and he’s still smiling, but his eyes are serious. He’s looking at Jehan like he’s suffocating, and Jehan is the last breath of air he’ll ever need. Jehan feels all of that air get knocked out of him.

 

“I have been in love with you since I first heard you laugh,” Bahorel breathes, low and soft, “Will that suffice?”

 

Jehan wants to kiss him more than anything, but instead they look down, examining their nails (chipped, broken, and covered in blood and dirt), “Hm, I suppose.”

 

“Asshole,” Bahorel laughs.

 

There’s a pause where they just stare at each other, taking in every last detail. Then Eponine is yelling, “Oh my _God_ , Jehan, just fucking kiss him.”

 

The entire group laughs and whistles and calls out vague encouragements.

 

“Are you gonna do it or am I?” Feuilly taunts Bahorel. Bahorel just flips him off, ears turning red.

 

“I think I might,” Jehan says, smiling hard.

 

And he does.

**Author's Note:**

> camp one is jehan, grantaire, cosette, joly, bossuet, musichetta, eponine and gavroche. camp two is bahorel, enjolras, marius, courfeyrac, combeferre, and feuilly. 
> 
> jehan is agender. combeferre is genderfluid. cosette is a trans woman. 
> 
> say hey on tumblr @coeurfeyrrac!


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